2009 Movie News Archives

Public Enemies

July 30, 2009: "Public Enemies" Preview on "Green Lantern: First Flight" DVD

By Barry Freiman.

In Brightest Day, the Sun Shines Bright;
Its Powers Help the Man of Might;
When this week came out GL First Flight;
The DVD has features with Superman in Sight.

OK, so that's not a great adaptation of the Green Lantern Oath. And you aren't in the wrong place. This isn't now the Green Lantern Homepage. This week saw the release of the direct-to-DVD "Green Lantern: First Flight" in both a one disc and two-disc special edition. The movie rocked but what's of interest to Superman fans are some of the special features on the main disc.

The disc has a special preview of the September 29, 2009 direct-to-DVD release "Superman/Batman: Public Enemies". The preview includes interviews with much of the cast and crew. Bruce Timm is Executive Producer and Sam Liu is Director.

The preview begins with a brief trailer that includes clips from the movie and shows panels from the original Superman/Batman comic book story on which the film is based. It opens with white writing on a black screen: "A METEOR HURTLES TOWARD EARTH." As the screen fades in we see it's Kryptonite. Over an image of S.T.A.R. Labs, the writing continues "MANKIND IS ON THE BRINK OF DISASTER". The next scene has Superman watching President Luthor and the overlay reads "THE PRESIDENT ACCUSES EARTH'S FAVORITE SON". Then we see Superman and Batman from the comic book with the overlay "SUPERMAN AND BATMAN ARE WANTED". "THEY ARE". "SUPERMAN/BATMAN: PUBLIC ENEMIES".

During the preview, Tim Daly is interviewed and he introduces the basic plot:

    People that know Superman know all the different characters involved. All you really have to say is that Lex Luthor becomes President of the United States. You can imagine the problems that ensue.

According to Kevin Conroy, "Public Enemies" is "really Luthor's story."

One of the more fun parts of the preview is seeing Daly and Conroy together in the voice booth with Conroy as Batman saying "The Kryptonite is near your heart. I don't know that I'll be able to get to it before the wound closes." Then there's an additional short clip from that scene.

Much of the voice cast is revealed in this preview as are most of the characters - heroes and villains - who will be appearing. We already know Tim Daly is returning as Superman, Kevin Conroy is returning as Batman, and Clancy Brown is returning as Lex Luthor. "Smallville" actress Allison Mack (Chloe Sullivan) is voicing Power Girl. Levar Burton ("Roots", "Star Trek: TNG") is voicing Black Lightning. Xander Berkeley is Captain Atom. Ricardo Chavira ("Desperate Housewives") is Major Force. John C. McGinley is Metallo.

In addition, these heroes and villains all appeared during the clips: Mongul. The Parasite. Solomon Grundy. Kestrel. Giganta. Copperhead. Black Manta. Cat-Man. Brimstone. Deadshot. Eclipso. Mr. Freeze. Grodd. Icicle. Hawkman. Captain Marvel. Katanna. Silver Banshee. Killer Frost. Nightshade. Bane. Croc. Captain Cold. Weather Wizard. And two or three I couldn't identify.

Though Lois Lane shows up in the images from the comic book that are shown during the preview, she doesn't show up in any of the video shown and it's never said that Lois is in the film let alone who would be voicing her.

Also on the special features, there's a video preview of the comic book storyline "The Blackest Night" largely comprised of interviews with Dan DiDio, Geoff Johns, and Peter Tomasi. As the Black Lanterns are revealed there's a brief discussion of the Golden Age, Earth-2 Superman.

"Superman/Batman: Public Enemies" is available this Fall as a Two-Disc Special Edition DVD or on Blu-ray from Amazon.com. "Green Lantern: First Flight" is available now.



2009 Movie News

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